PTSO Grants

The PTSO sets aside a substantial portion of its budget to fund special projects at NSHS to promote new initiatives that:

Reinforce or support student learning (programmatic or curricular),

Foster personal connections,

Pilot a new program, or

Provide for participation in community service activities.

Applications will also be considered for equipment and software that enhance the learning environment, ensure security and health safety, or aid in everyday operational efficiency. Requests for conference fees and travel expenses will be considered only after applicants have applied for departmental, school and/or district funding. Most awards range between $100 and $500. Larger grants are considered, particularly where they involve collaboration.

In an effort to align the PTSO grants process with core needs of the school overall, we would like to encourage stakeholders to submit grants that provide potential novel answers to the core Newton South question, “What are we doing to make sure that all of our students are learning?” We will prioritize review of ideas that may pilot new models for specific learning methods, experiment with specific tools or provide additional data/insight for future discussions on how to address the learning needs of all of our students. These suggestions are those that are beyond the core curriculum operational support since day to day support is outside the funding scope of the PTSO grants process.

We encourage faculty, staff, administrators, students, and parents to apply for PTSO funding. All student requests require a sign-off from a member of the NSHS educational staff. Collaboration between constituencies is strongly encouraged. Ongoing clubs and organizations that are fundraising for philanthropic purposes outside of the school will be asked to cover their costs before charitable donations are made. PTSO policies do not allow PTSO funds to be used for direct donations to charities. All grants are subject to the approval of the principal with input from the bursar. Grant money awarded can be spent only on specific application requests and within the current academic year.

GUIDELINES: Approval is based primarily on the following considerations:

The number of students/persons participating in and/or benefiting from the program/project

The impact of the program/project on students and the school.

Funding will be considered only after other potential sources of funding (e.g. department funds, fundraisers) have been pursued by the applicant.

The ability of the project to continue without additional PTSO funds. In most cases, funding is not provided for on-going support of programs.

New grants will only be awarded to past grant recipients if a final report has been submitted and is on file.

Grant money must be spent only on specific application requests. If there is a change in the request, the Grant Committee needs to be notified and will review the modifications for approval

Grant must support and be consistent with school community’s values and goals as listed on the South website.

Grants cannot be used to fund salaries, stipends or professional development; or to purchase core curriculum materials.

Grants cannot be used for core curriculum technology, including computers, consumables and many peripherals.

Grants cannot be used for field trips, transportation, food or promotional items.

PROCEDURES: Applications should be made to the PTSO Grants Committee, which reviews and makes recommendations to the PTSO Board. There will be three rounds of grant applications with these deadlines: October 15, January 15, and March 15. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it will be extended until the next regular school day. Please submit grants by 9PM on the due date. In order to be considered for the cycle, applications must be submitted by these deadlines.

The PTSO needs to keep records on how funds are spent. When completing the project narrative, include as much detail as possible to help us best understand your request for funding. Please submit a brief report no later than June 14, detailing how the grant money was spent and if you achieved the desired original outcome. Returning applicants will not be considered for further funding unless they have a final report on file. A template for the final report can be found here.